Celtics-Nuggets Game Blog: Third Quarter

We’re back for the second half with the C’s down 48-42. This will be yet another interesting second half as I am becoming more and more intrigued by the Celtics ability to dig themselves out of a hole. It’s not the way you want to play every night, obviously, and I know the myth is “It’s the NBA, everybody makes a run,” but this kind of digging deep, for lack of a better cliche, is becoming a team characteristic.

With the exception of the Chicago game back on Halloween they haven’t really played a complete game yet, and they’re still 8-1. At some point it’s going to bite them. We’ll see if it’s tonight. Onward…

— Tremendous quarter from Pierce who scored 12 of his 19 points in the third. The Eddie House 3-pointer gives the C’s a 65-64 lead going to the fourth. What madness will George Karl bring in the final 12 minutes? Jess Camerato brings it all to you.

— Yelled from behind me at Martin: K-Mart’s going outta business! Nice. Another good heckle: Get the hair out of your eyes at ref Derrick Stafford who is bald.

— Another quirky George lineup. Two PG’s, two SF’s and Kenyon Martin. Ray is on Billups.

— Truth for 3. Just like that… Amazing.

— Hey it’s Wyc and Corrine Grousbeck’s anniversary. Happy anniversary, kids. (Really, where else do you get this kind of information?)

— Kenyon Martin is hobbling right now. He stayed down on the court for a while on that last possession. Celtics had to take advantage of that. Instead Rondo passed up a layup and Pierce forced a 3. Terrible Ari on Entourage type-trip, but without the wandering in the desert naturally.

— People on the JumboTron who don’t know they’re on the JumboTron… Never gets old.

— Down to 8, 61-53, and here comes the crowd. Ill-timed timeout right there.

The C’s are +8 at the free throw line which is keeping them close. Also from the annals of the in-arena experience, the bass is bumping so much that my keyboard is twitching.

— The Celtics will be shooting free throws the rest of the way. Let’s see if that’s the tonic to get them back in the game. Say what you will about their anemic offense tonight, but Denver is shooting 52 percent.

— We’ll be shooting free throws soon… Nene and Chauncey both have three fouls and the Nuggets are at the limit.

— So saying, Guthrie just got Rondo again. Raising the ire of Scalabrine and E House. It’s freaking cold in the arena tonight, by the way.

— Doc didn’t like that call on Rondo by David Guthrie. They got two back already.